The Walking Dead preview: Terminus explained

If the zombie apocalypse kicks off you'll find me in the Winchester. @moremattcarter

Sanctuary for all – those who arrive, survive

Terminus - the mysterious endpoint that offers protection for all - has got many Walking Dead fans wondering what is waiting at the end of the tracks for the prison survivors. Is it really a place of protection or does something more sinister await those who stumble across its path?

We first heard of Terminus in the first half of Season 4. Daryl led a search party on a supply run for meds and picked up a radio transmission promising 'sanctuary for all.' It was recorded voice on loop so we have no way of knowing if the people on the other end are even still alive.

So what is Terminus?

Using knowledge of the comic book source material and my own rampant imagination, here are four possible theories about the true nature of Terminus.

Terminus is.... nothing

Desolation

This is perhaps the most likely but also the least exciting option. The zombie apocalypse has been around for a while now and apart from Woodbury and the prison we've seen no other evidence of thriving communities. The odds that Terminus is a bustling safe zone are relatively slim due to the simple fact that nothing lasts very long in this brutal environment. It wouldn't be surprising to see the group stumble upon Terminus only to find it a smoldering ruin.

Terminus is... The Hunters' lair

The Hunters

Imagine for a second that you are on the hunt for prey. What would be easier: chasing after your dinner through the wild forests of Georgia where there's not only the chance of your potential catch escaping, but you are also on the menu for the hungry walkers in the area; or setting a trap and letting the prey come to you?

Now imagine that your prey is people.

Wouldn't it be a lot easier to advertise a place of sanctuary which encourages the weak and the desperate to seek refuge and then lie in wait for the meals on legs to arrive. Terminus could be a huge meat trap and the special of the day is grilled human.

Terminus is... Alexandria Safe-Zone

Alexandria Safe-Zone

Those that have read Robert Kirkman's comic book source material will be more than familiar with the Alexandria Safe Zone - a walled community on the outskirts of DC led by a former U.S Congressman.

In the comic Rick and the group arrive at the Safe-Zone after joining Eugene and Abraham on their mission to discover the cause of the zombie outbreak and once settled, begin to build a new community.

In the show Terminus is shown on the map to be near Macon, GA - which is obviously nowhere near DC - but that doesn't mean it can't play the same role as the Alexandria Safe-Zone. The Walking Dead has always filmed in and around the Atlanta area, so perhaps locating Terminus in Georgia and changing its name is a just a matter of logistics.

Terminus is.... The Sanctuary

Saviors Sanctuary

Abandon hope all ye who enter here...

Negan is coming, it's a just a question of when. A monster so brutal and sadistic he makes the Governor look a bunny rabbit riding a unicorn over a rainbow, Negan is the big bad currently going to war against Rick and his posse in the comic. He has a loyal army of acolytes called the Saviors who all live together in a factory complex they call the Sanctuary.

To be honest, I'd be really surprised if we get to see Negan this early in the show. There are a lot of really intriguing storylines that could be utilized before another big villain is introduced and we've only just seen the back of the Governor. Do we really need a new major antagonist so soon after?

Attention all Walking Dead fans! Once again we'll be live blogging during Sunday's episode so join us for chat, speculation and undead mayhem at thewalkingdead.moviepilot.com. We'll go live 30 mins before the episode airs and you can tweet us at #walkingdeadmp. Look forward to seeing you all there.